‘Benefit cap could decimate holiday industry’ warn operators

People on job seekers allowance say the proposed cut in their benefit will almost certainly mean taking the whole family on that fortnight’s break to the Maldives is now out of the question.
Most say they will either settle for a fortnight here at home in the UK, possibly Centre Parcs or a holiday cottage in the Cotswolds or maybe even cut the holiday in the Maldives down to just the one week.
But some fear the £1.14 cut from their weekly income could mean going without a foreign holiday of any kind whatsoever in the foreseeable future.
Some leading tour operators say the benefit cuts have already led to job losses within the industry and bookings are down 37% on this time last year.
Flights from Heathrow to destinations right across the Far East and Australasia have been cancelled.
‘Some of the smaller home-based operators might be able to survive’ said Nick Ashcroft from Travel-Trek UK ‘but some of the specialist travel agencies running the luxury escorted tours are in for a tough time. I wouldn’t want to be running a long-haul adventure holiday to the Galapagos right now. Losing that £1.14 per week could be the difference between upgrading from a basic Stateroom cabin on one of our cruise liners to something more luxurious.
For any of our clients on job seekers allowance there are some tough decisions to be made.